Principles of Hotel Management

Principles of Hotel Management
It clearly explains that the factors which cause job
dissatisfaction are different from the factors which cause job
satisfaction. In other words, absence of job dissatisfaction is not
the presence of job satisfaction.
Hence, presence of maintenance of hygiene factors avoid
dissatisfaction in employees but does not cause satisfaction.
Similarly, presence of motivators cause satisfaction and
motivation.
Though Herzberg’s theory of motivation has gained wide-
spread popularity among managers and management educators,
it suffers from the following limitations :
1. It is alleged that research base was very narrow and
was not representative enough to make justified
generalisations.
2. It is difficult to distinguish job-context factors from the
job-content factors. In many cases, job context factors
have elements of job-content factors. Moreover, for some
individual job content factors, i.e., motivators have no
significance because their job-related aspirations are
very limited.
3. Sometimes in real life situations, there is no direct cause
and effect relationship between satisfaction and
performance. Many employees are satisfied with their
job but their performance is not high.
4. The methodology used by Herzberg is sometimes
questioned. Since raters have to make interpretations,
different raters may have interpreted the responses in
different ways.
5. It explains the reasons of job satisfaction and dissatis-
faction. Thus it is, in fact, not a theory of motivation.
6. Not all the measures of satisfaction have been explored
and utilised.
7. It ignores the impact of situational variables on motivation.

---

Focus of Management
229
8. Herzberg assumes that there is a relationship between
satisfaction and high performance. But in his research
work he looked only at satisfaction and not at
performance or productivity,
[Robbins]
9. As a matter of fact, two factors are not distinct. Both
hygiene factors and motivators may cause satisfaction
and dissatisfaction.
10. The theory lays much emphasis on motivators and
ignores the impact of hygiene factors on motivation.
Despite these limitations/criticism Herzberg’s theory has
made significant contribution to the manager’s understanding
of employee motivation. This is a valuable insight into employee
motivation.
A careful study and analysis of these two models would
suggest that they are not very much different from each other.
Rather there are marked similarities between the two. The
similarities between the two are as follows :
1. Both the models are content model. They focus on
identifying needs that motivate people to do something.
2. Both the models assume that needs are the driving
force that cause a person to do something.
3. Both the models fail to explain individual differences in
motivation.
4. Both the models consider the similar needs. Herzberg’s
hygiene factors correspond to the Maslow’s lower-level
needs i.e. physiological safety and security needs.
5. Both tend to over simplify the motivation process.
6. Both emphasize the same set of relationships.
7. Both deal with the same problem.
Distinction Between Maslow’s And Herzberg’s Models
In spite of many similarities, the two models differ on the
following counts :

---

230
Principles of Hotel Management
Basis of Distinction
Maslow’
s 
Model
Herzberg’
s 
Model
12
3
1.
Basis based on hierarchy
Maslow’
s model is based on
Herzberg’
s theory
of 
needs.
factors that avoid dissatisfaction
and p
ain and the factors that
satisfy and motivate employees.
2
.
Order of needs in the
Maslow 
arranged 
the
There is no such order
order 
they 
emerge.
of needs in this model.
3
.
Nature 
of 
model
It is descriptive model.
It is prescriptive model.
4
.
Essence of theory model is that
The 
essence 
of 
this 
gratified 
or
The 
essence 
of 
model 
is 
that
the unsatisfied needs motivate
satisfied needs motivate indivi-
the
individual 
to 
work.
duals for higher performance.
5
.
Ef
fect of 
factors
hygiene factors
This model considers 
factors
This model considers that
as 
motivators 
of 
behaviour
. 
If 
a
come into play only when
hygiene
manager of
fers opportunity to
employee 
perceives 
them
satisfy one of them, employee
as 
inadequate.
would exert increased ef
fort.

---